They've done it again! (BMW 520i Saloon)

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Product:	BMW 520i Saloon
Date:	12/12/00 (581 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fine ride, silky engines, stylish, solid, safe, great diesel

Disadvantages: Hard seats, fierce brakes

There’s no doubt about it – the lastest BMW 5-Series is a stunning motor and the 150bhp, six-cylinder 520i is the buying punter’s favourite.

First impressions are of the new Five’s velvety five-speed manual transmission (Steptronic auto’s an option), exceptionally smooth engine and luxuriously supple ride. The latter attributes are quite uncanny and comparable with larger, pricier cars of the Lexus and Jaguar calibre. Even over poorly-surfaced roads, the chassis behaves impeccably, even though the brakes, on our car at least, were bordering on the fierce and at lower speeds required a delicate touch.

Once up to speed, the 520i pulls respectably, with a claimed ability to climb all the way to 137mph. Enough for most, except possibly the seriously late-for-work autobahn traveller. This model also boasts an impressive 31mpg overall fuel economy and BMW claims a 0-62mph time of 10.2 seconds for the manual. But when pulling away from rest in normal driving the 520i needs a fair push on the throttle, as it’s unwilling to accelerate usefully with less than 2,500rpm on the tacho. If you need more power, there are four other superb petrol engines as well as one of the best turbodiesels we’ve ever driven.

Our only gripe with the interior was that the standard front seats have too much lumbar support, which inflicted lower-back pain after a couple of hours driving. But the driving position’s excellent thanks to a fully adjustable steering wheel and the Five really feels like a driver’s car, as you sit low down inside the BMW with the dashboard and its sporty dials curving around you. The interior works well, with high-quality plastic trim and tasteful wood.

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